What are Boris files? Former UK PM's leaked data reveals lobby, personal gains

< warm>Boris Files: A considerable amount of information has reportedly leaked from former UK undercoat government minister Boris Johnson's private office, revealing his use of professional ties for personal benefits, secret meetings and potential breach of ministerial code, among other things.

Since his exit from 10 Downing Street in September 2022, the former PM's commercial interests are reflected in the Boris Files, The Guardian reported.

While the files contain material from his private office affairs, they also contain documents from Johnson's time in office, undeclared meetings and possible breaches of lockdown rules during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the leak is relatively small, amounting to around 2GB of data, or 1,820 files, which includes emails, letters, invoices, spreadsheets, speeches and business contracts.

The data is mostly dated after September 22, when Boris Johnson left office, but there are some files that reveal details about his time in the PM office.

The Office of Boris Johnson is a limited company that benefits from a scheme allowing former prime ministers to claim a six-figure sum in annual expenses from the Cabinet Office. The amount is meant for administrative and secretarial expenses that come from "their special position in public life".

A US-based non-profit organisation, Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), reportedly obtained the data. The organisation archives data leaks.

Meanwhile, the data leak is likely to raise questions over negligence in security provision at Johnson's office, given that some of the documents contain sensitive and confidential information.

Boris Johnson claims public subsidies through the public duty costs allowance (PDCA), which allows former PMs to claim up to £115,000 per year to fund their office, like contributing to salaries.

Former prime ministers can also claim a pension allowance to contribute towards their office staff's pension costs. However, these claimed funds are not meant for security costs or private interests.

Johnson claimed the PDCA funds to pay salaries to his staff in his private office, The Guardian reported, citing a Cabinet Office source.

Boris Johnson has hired three full-time employees at his private office, and the leaked data showed that all of them have been involved in the ex-PM's commercial or business affairs.

It remains unclear as to how Johnson has managed not to use the PDCA funds for private benefits.

Robin Butler, the loyal cabinet secretary to the first woman PM of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, created the PDCA. The system was introduced after Thatcher's friends "let the considerable difficulties she faced on leaving office be known at Westminster".

The money was always intended towards paying for former PMs' public events, not for help in profit-generating business.

The leaked Boris Files also reveal how the former prime minister has been benefiting from contacts he made during his time in Downing Street, in what could be a possible violation of ethics and lobbying rules.

The data reveals how Johnson persuaded a senior Saudi official whom he had met during his time in office. He had asked the official to share a pitch with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a consultancy firm, which is co-chaired by Johnson.

Johnson had claimed that the Better Earth, a lesser-known UK-based consultancy firm established by a Canadian mining financier, "could be useful".

The trove of data also unearthed that the former UK PM received over £200,000 from a hedge fund after his meeting with the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, a revelation contrary to the statements that Johnson was not paid.

Johnson also reportedly seemed to have held a secret meeting with Peter Thiel, the billionaire who founded the US-based data firm Palantir. The meeting took place months before Palantir was given a role in managing the National Health Services' (NHS) data.

Boris Johnson apparently violated the Covid-19 lockdown rules. A day after the second nationwide lockdown was imposed, he hosted a dinner for a Tory peer who financed a lavish renovation of his Downing Street flat.

David Brownlow reportedly provided £58,000 to cover the cost of some of the renovations, including a "gold" wallpaper worth £2,260. The dinner took place at 10 Downing Street's small dining room on November 6, 2020.

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